Returning from a mission, Fr Thomas Pandippally, C.M.I.,
was brutally murdered by Hindu extremists who broke
his hands and legs, tore out his eyes, beat him with sticks
and stabbed him repeatedly, 16 August.

CARMELITE OF MARY IMMACULATE PRIEST BRUTALLY MURDERED

Catholic martyrsa daily reality

A large crowd of deeply moved Religious and lay faithful participated in a
memorial concelebration on August 21, at St Mary’s of Hyderabad for Fr. Thomas
Pandippally, C.M.I., who was brutally murdered, August 16, on his way back from
a Burgida mission by a group of Hindu extremists who are yet to be identified.

Fr. Jose Panthaplamthottiyil, Prior General of the Carmelites of Mary Immaculate,
Fr. Thomas’ Order, celebrated the funeral on August 20, at the Provincial House
at Bellampally, where he was buried.

Fr. Jose told a UCA News (Union of Catholic Asian News) correspondent that “Fr.
Thomas was a priest fully devoted to his mission, always on the front lines
in his work to help his neighbor. His assassins have caused deep disturbance
for me and for all members of this religious Order.”

A statement by the Kerala Catholic Bishops Council (KCBC), made the day after
the murder, expressed “astonishment and anguish” over “the brutal homicide” of
Fr. Thomas, who “dedicated his life to help other people”. The KCBC also asked
the government to protect missionaries who work for the “marginalized and poor
of the country”.

The same statement appealed to the authorities of the State of Andhra Pradesh
to ask that the assassins of Fr. Thomas be identified and brought to justice
as soon as possible. Archbishop Raphael Cheenath, S.V.D., of Cuttack-Bhubaneswar
in Orissa, said that the authorities did not pursue the perpetrators of violence
at Christmas 2007, when thousands of Hindu extremists broke out into a “hunt
of Christians” in several villages in a systematic, organized manner, destroying
and burning churches and Christian homes, murdering them and forcing them to
flee for weeks into the forest. “The guilty are free and proud of their impunity”,
said the Archbishop.

To shed light on the motives behind and context of Fr. Thomas’ assassination,
Archbishop Joji Marampudi of Hyderabad, Secretary of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference
of Andhra Pradesh granted an interview to L’Osservatore Romano journalist,
Roberto Sgaramella which was published August 20. An English translation follows.

“They killed Fr. Thomas for three reasons: because he was a religious, because
he was Christian and because he was charitable to the poor.

“His attackers were waiting for him on his way home from one of our
missions in Burgida”, the Prelate continued. “He was probably waylaid at about
10:00 o’clock in the evening, not far from the village of Bellampally, an area
unfortunately known for acts of violence perpetrated there by groups of Hindu
fanatics.

“They stopped him while he was returning on his motorcycle and clubbed him
with sticks. They then ferociously slashed his body with knives. I myself went
there the following morning and saw his blood mingled with the dust, I saw the
mess they had made of his body.”

We asked Archbishop Marampudi the reason for this violence against a Catholic
religious. “He was killed because Catholic missionaries take the side of the
poor in this region where, in fact, a rigid form of slavery still exists, linked
to farming the land.

“The landowners do not recognize that the peasants have any rights and use
bands of Hindu fanatics to thwart anyone who attempts to improve the standard
of living of the rural population.

“In this region fanaticism of a Hindu background uses religion solely as a
pretext to carry out heinous crimes. There is no conflict between us Catholics
and moderate Hindu religious when the dialogue concerns spiritual values. Disputes
are sparked by those who make use of pseudo-religious pretexts to serve their
own interests.”

A woman prays on the tomb of Bl. Mother Teresa of Calcutta.

Archbishop Marampudi said he was very worried by the violent atmosphere that
has wilfully been created in recent years in several rural zones of Andhra Pradesh
by fundamentalist Hindu groups.

“The killing of Fr. Thomas was an act of hatred against the Catholic Church
in particular but also against all Christians who live in this region”, the
Archbishop declared.

Four pastors of various Protestant churches were killed in Andhra Pradesh
during 2006 and 2007. Several of these murders were carried out in similar circumstances
to those of Fr. Thomas’ assassination. None of the perpetrators of these crimes
has yet been identified subsequent to investigations made by the local police.

No tribunal in Andhra Pradesh has ever met to judge the perpetrators or instigators
of these ferocious crimes although the names of the local Hindu extremist chiefs
are certainly public knowledge.

We asked Archbishop Marampudi if the police authorities had provided any system
of protection for those who are constantly threatened by fanatics.

“We Catholic religious have no preventive protection”, the Archbishop answered. “However, I am not so worried about my own physical safety. On the other hand, I would
like to call the authorities’ attention to our men and women missionaries.

“Various groups of Sisters work constantly for the needy in relatively isolated
localities where there are absolutely no policemen. They work at a serious risk
to themselves. They work for children and the elderly. They help mothers and
the sick. They organize classes for illiterate youth. They work trusting in
God's protection alone.

“They do their utmost to help their neighbor and thereby bear witness to the
Gospel. I am thinking of these absolutely heroic missionary Sisters. I am thinking
of the missionary priests who never fail to go to the help of the lowly such
as, precisely, Fr. Thomas.

“I am thinking of our little church of Hyderabad. It is a small church because
of the number of the faithful but certainly large from the point of view of
their heroism — heroism because of their constant witness to faith in God and
in the Gospel.”